Tales of Aradia: The Last Witch

by Magnum Opus

Tad told her her about the fight, his troubles with his dad, his dad's friends, Tad's mother (his dad's ex wife) his dad's enemies, his dad's problems, and Tad's problems as well. "My dad and I never really had much of a stable relationship. I didn't with either of my folks even when they were together. I got into trouble almost every single day for fighting, stealing, and even selling drugs." "Do you think one of the people from your drug dealing was responsible?" Tad shook his head, "most of the drugs I dealt were weed nothing too serious or worth serious money. Or at least serious enough to make people come after my 'rents." "Not that I am complaining or anything in fact I applaud you for making the decision but why didn't you deal serious drugs?" asked Aradia. Tad shrugged grumbling, "my dad caught me." "Oh," said Aradia sounding out the word long and hard to emphasize her understanding. "One of the reasons why I got booted from my mom's house and into staying with my dad," Tad explained."Why did you deal in the first place?" asked Aradia. Tad's expression hardened and said, "money why else?" "But I thought you said..," "Hey whether it's tons or a little it does not matter. Money is money get it?" Tad snapped. Aradia nodded, indicating that that part of the conversation was done with. "What were you fighting about before you left?" Aradia asked."I got into a fight into school," said Tad.

  Aradia sighed and asked, "Was your father having any business problems?" Tad shook his head while Aradia groaned thinking that establishing a motive was going to be impossible until Tad's expression changed from gloomy to that of awareness. "But now that you mention it, he was having some fights with his business partner." "Business partner?" Aradia repeated, "I thought your father owned the store." "He did until he mismanaged a few finances last year and got turned down for a loan at the bank. Property prices are going up and although the Salem bank is dragging it's his heels as best as it can they all know that eventually in order to keep their own business afloat they are going to have to foreclose." "But what has that got to do with your Dad's shop?" asked Aradia. "Well, lots of business have been going under lately so the bank in order to make a profit are willing to buy the stores from the owners in order to sell the spaces and inventory to potential buyers." "Isn’t that dirty?" Aradia asked. Tad shook his head and said, " nuh-huh. On the contrary it helps square off the business owner's debts while helping the bank still get the money it needs." "So what has that got to do with your Dad?" Aradia repeated. "Well for a while my dad was struggling but thanks to one of my mom's old friends, Derek who offered him enough money to make up the debt in exchange for him becoming a partner in my dad's shop." "The thing of it is though," Tad added bitterly, "Derek never showed any interest in the shop or in the books or nothing. I never did trust or like that guy always a bit too shady for my taste. If there is one thing being a thief has taught me is when and how to spot another." "So you think this guy was a crook?" Aradia asked. "That would be my guess." Aradia nodded after Tad's statement, satisfaction and understanding spreading over her expression on her face like a sunburn. "So your guess is Derek was stealing money from your Dad?" "I thought so but I checked the books recently with my dad's lawyer and it seriously looks like nothing has been taken," said Tad making Aradia's jaw drop in surprise. "You mean he didn't steal any money?" "Not that we know of," said Tad sliding slowly off and then leaning against the picnic table. Aradia had felt so close to establishing a motive. She stomped her foot in frustration and then asked in a grumbling tone, "So you don't think that this guy had a motive for killing your dad?" Tad shook his head making Aradia feel like whacking herself in the head with a brick! Aradia thanked Tad and turned to leave but as she did so, she said to him, "see you at school?" "Probably not," Tad replied. Aradia stopped and spun around to face him, "what are you talking about?" Before Tad could answer Aradia's tone became sympathetic as she said, "Are you dropping out of school? You seriously should not do that..." Tad shook his head furiously and said, "no, no, I am not dropping out even though I want to but my mom would sooner send me to Iraq then have me drop out of school. I am moving back to New York with my mother." "Oh," said Aradia. "I mean it might be pricey," Tad continued more to himself than Aradia, "but thanks to Derek and the insurance money my mom and I will probably be able to..." "Insurance money?" Aradia asked incredulously and fighting back the urge to kick herself for not thinking about this sooner, "what insurance money?" "The insurance money on my Dad's store," Tad said while flipping out another cigarette and lighting it, "see there is a clause in my dad's store that when Derek sells it me and my mom get half of the sale money." "I never heard of anything like that," Aradia said bewildered. "Yeah well no offense but you are not an insurance salesmen," Tad said smiling smugly."Oh and I supposed Derek is right?" "As matter of fact," Tad snapped, "he is! He was even the one who took out the insurance policy on my Dad's store and helped my dad fill out the papers."

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Aradia could not get to the bank fast enough. Thanks to her powers, she was able to make it there in plenty of time before the bank closed. After using her powers to race through the woods quick as a lightning bolt, mess up the picture on the bank video cameras she was able to not only find the records section but also get there without being identified. She whipped through the records carefully looking for Tad's father or Derek's name. Finally she came upon a file with Derek's name and after sifting through numerous papers she found the insurance policy. After reading it she finally understood exactly who, what, where, and why Tad's father had been murdered and could prove it too. All she had to do was make an anonymous call to the cops about the records in the bank and the police would have no choice but to look for it. It did not matter how exactly the murder had occurred (like the killer bringing in the vampire to suck the victim's blood) what did matter was finding the motive and if Aradia was guessing right so far chances were that Derek still had the murder weapon with him and that would seal his fate! And so Aradia walked from the bank three blocks to a pay phone and after dialing her father's office number at the police station she asked for her call to be transferred to the homicide division

  "What are you so happy about?" Roy asked Aradia. She looked up to see Roy hovering over her. She was reading a gossip magazine and crouching in her favorite booth next to the window with her knees propped against the table a half eaten burger on her on plate accompanied with a half empty glass of cola. Roy was just standing looking at Aradia wearing his usual clothes of jeans, sneakers, and button up shirts with a leather jacket. At first, Aradia debated whether she should tell Roy about what she had just done but in the end decided against it but what she did say next did not help to improve the situation, "oh I was just thinking about my date with Beau this weekend." Automatically Aradia blushed, realizing what she had just said. Roy just scowled. Before Aradia could apologize Roy plopped into the seat across from her and said, "Are you his girlfriend now?" "No Roy I am not," said Aradia. Far from comforted Roy went on to ask, "Do you want to be?" Aradia shrugged. Roy heaved a huge sigh and said, "Rai-Rai I know you like him but the truth is you can't get serious about him because you cannot trust him." "Why because he is a vampire?" Aradia demanded angrily. "No, because his father has been secretly investigating your blood at the hospital to determine what you are." Aradia's mouth dropped open, "what?"

  "I went to the hospital today," Roy explained, "to pick up some medication for my father when a nurse walked by carrying a tray of blood samples. I recognized the smell of your blood instantly but when we were discussing our abilities you told me that you have never gotten sick before and you have never had blood drawn for fear it might expose you. So of course I was wondering what the hell was a sample of your blood doing in the hospital? I followed the nurse and when she brought it to Dr. Dayton I hid behind the door as he ran some tests on it. He was comparing it to other hidden DNA trying to find a match." Aradia said nothing. She just sat there completely stunned not knowing what to say or to believe. At first, she wanted to deny it furiously but as she thought it about, it explained so many things. The strange accidents tha
t happened at school where she had gotten a lot of bloody cuts and gone to the nurse whom everyone knew was an old friend of Dr. Dayton. It also explained how no matter what she did on their dates Beau had always held back not daring to kiss or even touch her. In addition to all that, the way her personality was Aradia would often randomly talked about intimate details of her life to everyone she met. So Beau coaxing secrets out of her should not have been very hard. Hell all he would have to do is listen to her talk for an hour and he would know everything from her favorite candy to her childhood fear of her toys coming to life and dancing around her bed! Gripping her fists so hard she could hear her knuckles crack Roy looked at her and said, "I am sorry Rai but I figured you had a right to know." "You're damn right I did," said Aradia. "So you're going to cancel your date with Beau right?" "Quite the contrary," said Aradia, "I am going to use the date as an opportunity to find out exactly what this is all about." "How are you going to do that? Ask him?" Roy asked her sarcastically. "No," said Aradia. "Then how?" he persisted. Aradia thought about it until a wicked smile played upon her lips. However, upon deciding on this course of action Aradia instantly became depressed because once she found out what Beau was really up to, her hope of them being a couple would be doomed.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  "Is something the matter?" Beau asked Aradia as they drove his BMW into the city of Salem and parked at the parking garage in the mall. "No, what makes you think that?" Aradia responded as she got out of the car. "Its just...ever since I picked you up from your house you have been so quiet," said Beau, "normally you never shut up." He smiled after that statement, hoping to encourage a laugh from her. Aradia said nothing. She knew she was supposed to be acting normal to keep Beau off balance and to not suspect anything but knowing in the back of her mind that this was probably going to be the last time she would ever be with Beau… How could she act anything except sad? "I just feel sick today that's all," Aradia replied looking down on the ground and not wanting to look at him. Beau perplexed asked her, "then why did you want to still go out today if you were feeling under the weather?" Aradia forced herself to look at him when she said, "I wanted to see you." Aradia smiled up at Beau who just coughed into his hand nervously and continued walking towards the mall. Aradia sighed heavily. I guess I was wrong to think you were something special Beau, Aradia thought to herself, so very wrong indeed.

  So far it had not been much of a date at all. Aradia had not really spoken to Beau at all who in turn had been pretty cold to her the entire time. All they had done was walk around in awkward silence. The entire time Aradia was silently willing Beau to admit the truth on his own and his reasons would not be the ones she thought. However, from the beginning of their date Beau had done nothing but walk beside her looking at everywhere else but at her as if looking at her would cause him some fatal injury. But when Aradia saw Rhonda that was when Beau and Aradia finally split up so to speak. After telling her it was okay and promising her that he would drive her home, Beau had let Aradia go off with Rhonda. The two of them had gone clothes shopping and were currently trying on several dresses. Rhonda was trying on a tiger striped colored dress with an orchid design and Aradia was thanking God that she was there to save Rhonda from being a victim of a fashion disaster. After holding up a purple a-line shaped dress that she had picked out for her for Rhonda's scrutiny, Rhonda finally asked Aradia the million dollar question. "So," Rhonda asked squeezing herself out of the tiger gown, "why are you shopping with me when you could be out on a date with Beau Dayton?" Aradia groaned and slumped down in one of the dressing room lounge's chairs and snapped "I have my reasons okay?" "Which would be?" Rhonda persisted. Aradia groaned once again and after a few minutes of Rhonda's intense silent studying type of stare she finally spat out, "I just found out that Beau does not really like me." "What?" Rhonda asked her disbelievingly. "You heard me," Aradia replied venomously. "I mean why he does not like you?" asked Rhonda. Aradia just shrugged, debating with herself the very same question. "I don't know Rhonda," she replied, "I just don't know." "How can you be sure he does not like you?" Rhonda asked sitting in a chair opposite of her."Roy told me he overheard Beau badmouthing me," Aradia answered her as close to the truth as she dared. "Roy?" Rhonda repeated while raising an eyebrow and then asking, "isn't that the other guy who has the hots for you?" Aradia scoffed and said, "You can hardly call him hot for me." "Either way Aradia," Rhonda persisted, "how can you be sure if he is telling you the truth?" "I'm not," said Aradia, "but I have a way finding out whether or not what Roy said is true." "You going to confront Beau?" Rhonda asked innocently. Aradia smirked slightly and said, "Something like that." "So why don't you do it now?" Rhonda asked Aradia who replied bitterly, "Because even if I am prepared for battle, it does not mean I am ready to go to war."

  It took them a couple of hours but finally Rhonda and Aradia finished their shopping. Aradia had stayed with Rhonda until Rhonda's mother had picked her up. At the time she had been asked if she wanted a ride home. Aradia had been tempted but remembering her promise to Beau and realizing she couldn't put off confronting him forever. Aradia had declined Rhonda's mother's offer and headed to the parking garage her arms heavy with her purchases. However, the moment she stepped into the garage she felt a sudden wave of trepidation. She did not know whether it was her powers or women's intuition that told her something was up either way she was right. The moment she had walked out of the exit of the shopping center a group of scrawny sketchy looking guys wearing dirty black clothing and beanie caps smelling heavily of weed and drink had followed her. Aradia spun around to face the leader of the group who stood in the middle and in front of the group. She didn't know how old he was, maybe he was her age, but by judging how heavily he smelled of drugs and how they were known to speed the aging process like lightening Aradia could not really tell. "Hey sweetie what's up?" he said leering at her. "What do you want?" Aradia demanded. "Look in the mirror and you will see," he cracked making his friends all chuckle dryly. Aradia fought back the urge to throw up all over her shoes. "Look um sir," Aradia said politely realizing the situation was already tense and not wanting it add to it, "I don't mean to be rude but I am waiting for my boyfriend to pick me up and I don't think he would appreciate you hanging around me." "You're boyfriend must be pretty stupid," said the guy making his friends chuckle once again. "Excuse me?" said Aradia."I mean nobody but a stupid boyfriend would let a hot looking girl like you out of his sight," he said with a wolfish grin, "if you were mine I would never let you leave my side." "Yeah well thank god I am not your girlfriend," Aradia murmured, "or else I would probably smell as bad as you do!" The guy and his crew grew deathly silent. Oh crap Aradia thought. "Hey look I am sorry I didn't mean to say that. I apologize," Aradia said quickly trying to defuse the situation. Strangely, the guy smiled at Aradia looking pleased rather than be angry. "It’s alright sweetie," he said to a confused Aradia, "but if you really want to apologize I suggest we kiss and make-up." Aradia's face grew stony and decided enough was enough, "on second thought," she snapped, "I am not sorry at all!" Ironically, the guy and his crew seemed to have had enough as well. The ones in the back who were bigger and bulkier moved towards her while the leader said, "you know something sweetie you talk too damn much!" He lunged at Aradia who dropped her shopping bags. She then heard a car screeching towards them; pulling a near 360 degree turn a silver BMW screeched to a halt right next to Aradia and out of the drivers' side sprang Beau Dayton. His face and features so distorted with anger that he could have frightened a mass murderer into confessing to every crime he committed just by staring him down. Beau strode angrily to the guy and shoved him away from Aradia. “Go near her and die! You bloody sod!" Beau shouted. The guy faltered back more than a dozen steps, no doubt shocked by Beau's strength. He recovered his balance though and his expression grew from surprise to anger. At this point it was obvious that the guy was done playing games. "Get 'em!" he cried pointing at Beau with his finger and arm accusingly. The biggest guy of the
group moved towards Beau but it wasn't until he was two steps away from him when Aradia stepped in between them and socked the goon right the eye! He flew back landing flat on his back only a few feet from the mall exit, clutching his eye, and shrieking in pain. At first, the others all just stood shocked but then another one of them move towards Aradia who quick as a flash kicked him in his most sacred area! As he doubled up in pain Aradia grabbed the back of his shirt, turned him around, and threw him straight towards his buddy, whom he promptly fell on top of. All that remained were the three other guys that included their leader. One at a time they each lunged towards Aradia who merely grabbed one of them, twisted his arm behind his back and kicked the other on her right side in a gymnast karate like style! Both of them were then thrown just like their buddies to land with them as well in the same spot and fashion. Then there was just Aradia and the guy-leader-goon who by now was trembling in fear. He quickly shook it off, however, and then reached into his pocket to pull out a switchblade knife. He grinned evilly as he saw Aradia falter. For two intense moments they just stared at each other until the guy lunged at her with the knife. Aradia a bit intimidated by the knife, nevertheless, caught the guy by the wrist. She squeezed his wrist intensely causing him to let go of it. She then grabbed hold off his arm and flipped him completely over, causing him to land right on the hood of Beau's car! She slammed him down in such a hard and intense way that the glass on every window of the car completely shattered! By now the guy was genuinely shaking with terror Aradia, however, just grabbed him by the shirt collar and threw him to the pile to join his friends. It took them awhile but soon all of the goon squad managed to pick themselves up and ran off as quick as lightening.

  Beau had been standing by his car the entire time, completely speechless. He stood with his mouth agape, staring at Aradia who just turned to look at him, and said, "So still here are you?" "Huh?" said Beau. Aradia shrugged and said, "most times when a guy sees a girl be strong and kicking ass like that they usually take off for the hills." "Can't imagine why," Beau muttered. "That better be sarcasm," Aradia spat in a venomous tone. Before Beau could ever answer she made her way to the passenger seat of the car, opened the door, and sat down."You still want me to take you home?" Beau asked incredulously. Aradia shrugged with total indifference. At first, Beau just stood stunned but seeing Aradia's expression becoming more and more annoyed he decided it was best not to press it. But as he went for the driver's seat he asked, "what about the glass?"Aradia shrugged, "you got auto insurance right?" Beau was stunned by her words but nevertheless he brushed off the glass on his car seat and started the car up. But as they were exiting the parking garage and getting onto the road, Beau looked to Aradia and finally asked her, "What are you anyway?" "You really want to know?" asked Aradia. "Yes," he replied. Aradia slumped against the window and said, "me too."